Nova Scotia RCMP reminds citizens to clean out their medicine cabinets, Dartmouth, N.S.

Police in Nova Scotia are supporting the third annual National Prescription Drug Drop-off Day on Saturday, May 9, 2015.

National Prescription Drug Drop-off Day is led by the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police (CACP) in conjunction with Public Safety Canada, and is a day where police agencies across the country host events with their community partners to provide an easy way for people to dispose of unused and expired prescription drugs.

With assistance from municipal police agencies, district health authorities and community pharmacies, over 20 drop-off sites are available in Nova Scotia this year. These sites help ensure that unused and expired medications do not fall into the wrong hands, whether they be criminals or victims.

‘Prescription drug abuse and trafficking is a concern for police in Nova Scotia’ says Chief Dave MacNeil, President of the Nova Scotia Chiefs of Police Association and Chief of the Truro Police Service. ‘Reducing access to these medications by people who are not prescribed to use them is an important step in addressing this public health issue.’

According to the CACP, Canada is the world’s second largest per capita consumer of prescription opioids, after the United States. Abuse of prescription drugs can have a devastating impact on people’s lives as well as their families, and can be associated with serious harms such as addiction, overdose and death.

‘National Prescription Drug Drop-off Day is also important because a large portion of prescription medications actually remain unused’ says RCMP Insp. Mike Payne. ‘If you have prescription drugs in your home that are expired or are no longer required, then you have the responsibility to dispose of them properly.’

Unused and expired prescription drugs can be returned to pharmacies at any time throughout the year. Before returning the drugs, citizens should always remove any labels or use a marker to black out any personal information. Prescription drugs should never be flushed down the toilet, as they may have adverse effects on the environment.

For a complete list of drop-off locations within your area, please visit: http://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/ns/index-eng.htm. Note that the drop-off times may vary depending on the location.

For more information on the proper use or disposal of medication please visit:
http://healthycanadians.gc.ca/health-sante/medicine-medicament/disposal-defaire-eng.php.

Source: Release

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